


Tinsel is Tacky

by malmal88



Series: 12 Days of Buddie [2]
Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: 12 days of Buddie, Buddiemas, Eddie POV, Eddie is in love, Family Feels, Fluff, M/M, Pre-Relationship, Tinsel, day 3:tinsel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-14
Updated: 2019-12-14
Packaged: 2021-02-26 02:08:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,718
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21785746
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/malmal88/pseuds/malmal88
Summary: 12 Days of BuddieDay 3: TinselBuck, Eddie, and Christopher decorate the Diaz family Christmas tree. Eddie and Buck disagree about the tinsel.
Relationships: Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz
Series: 12 Days of Buddie [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1568599
Comments: 9
Kudos: 182





	Tinsel is Tacky

**Author's Note:**

> This can be read as a continuation of the Day 2 fic, or read as separate. I wasn't super feeling this prompt but I actually like what I ended up with. I hope you enjoy it.

Eddie is tired and starving. He had just worked an overtime shift, which had turned his normal shift into double. It looks like it will be another delivery night. Eddie wonders briefly if he'll be able to convince Chris to get Chinese instead of pizza as he turns down his street. When he pulls into his driveway the first thing he notices is that Buck’s Jeep is parked where Carla’s sedan should be. Confused, Eddie looks at his phone to see if he has any missed messages. The second thing he notices is that his phone is dead. Fighting back panic Eddie races for the door. 

When he steps inside he feels himself relax. Christmas music is playing and he can hear pots and pans clanking in the kitchen. Everything is calm, and nothing seems out of place. The boys have been busy though. The Christmas tree is up and waiting to be ornaments, and Eddie’s living room has been decorated. 

Eddie bypasses the kitchen and goes to his room. He drops his duffle bag on the floor and grabs his phone charger. He leaves his room, rounds the corner, and peeks into the kitchen. Buck is cooking something on the stove and Chris is next to him perched on a stool at the counter mixing what looks like a salad. Eddie isn't sure what he has done in his life to deserve this, but damn if he isn't thankful for it. 

Eddie walks up behind them being sure to make enough noise that he doesn’t startle them. Chris turns around at the sounds of his footsteps. “Hi, Daddy! Buck and I are making dinner. I’m in charge of the salad!” 

“Careful Chris, don’t fall,” Buck throws a hand out in caution. 

“I missed you today mi hijo,” Eddie picks Chris off the stool and gives him a big hug before depositing him on the floor. “Where’s Carla?” 

“Nice to see you too,” Buck chastises with a grin. “She had a family emergency and couldn’t reach you,” Buck points to the charger in Eddie’s hand. “I tried calling the station but you were out on a call, and we were fine here so I didn’t sweat it.”

“Thank you, Buck,” Eddie says earnestly. “Abuela didn’t answer either?” Eddie asks nervously, walking over to an outlet. He plugs in the phone and powers it on. 

“When Carla couldn’t call you I asked her to call my Buck,” Christopher supplies, as Buck helps him back up onto the stool. 

Eddie raises an eyebrow at that but says nothing. Chris clearly has both Buck and Carla wrapped around his little finger. “So what’s for dinner?” Eddie walks back over to them. Buck has turned back to the stove, and Eddie crowds up behind him and peers over his shoulder. 

“Chicken and fried rice.”

“And salad!” Christopher adds.

“And salad,” Buck qualifies. 

“Well, it smells delicious.” Buck looks over his shoulder at Eddie with a pleased smile. Eddie forgets to breathe when Buck flutters his eyelashes. Buck tilts his head down, and Eddie realizes both his hands are on Buck’s hips. Eddie clears his throat, embarrassed and removes them. 

“It’s just about done.” 

Eddie turns to Chris who has been watching the exchange with wide eyes. “Why don’t you bring your salad to the table and help me set it?” Chris just nods, and Eddie helps him down and hands him the salad bowl. He grabs plates and silverware and follows his son into the dining room. 

——

Dinner goes by in a blur of laughter and conversation. They have barely pushed their plates aside when Christopher starts practically bouncing in his seat. 

“Can we decorate the tree now dad? Please?” 

“I meant to ask about that. I’m pretty sure the tree wasn’t even up when I left yesterday."

“I asked Buck to put it up so we could decorate it tonight. Please?” 

Buck is fiddling with his hands, avoiding Eddie’s gaze. “I hope I didn’t overstep. He said you’ve been really tired and-”

“Buck, it’s fine. Thank you. I wouldn't have had the energy to put it up and decorate it tonight.” Eddie leans over and stills Buck’s hands with one of his own. 

Buck lets out a breath. “I’m happy to help you, Eddie.”

“I’m glad to hear that, since you’re staying to help us decorate it,” Eddie pats Buck’s hands once. The look Buck gives him goes straight to his heart. He really should just find the courage to say something to the man. He abruptly stands, grabs their plates and walks into the kitchen. Eddie smiles softly to himself at Christopher's shrill of excitement. Buck must have said he would stay. 

Eddie and Buck finish clearing the table quickly, and soon ornaments to go on the tree litter the coffee table and couch. Christopher is currently picking out his favorites and setting them aside for him to do on his own, explaining each one to Buck. 

“Did you see the box of tinsel?” Eddie asks, rummaging through one of the boxes, but not finding the silver tinsel he usually wraps around the tree before adding ornaments. 

“I may have,” Buck says innocently. 

“May have?” 

“I may have chosen to leave it in the crawl space. I did it for you, Eddie. Tinsel is tacky.”

“Excuse me?” 

“Plus, it leaves less space for ornaments.”

“Did you just call my tinsel tacky?” Eddie asks in mock outrage. Really, Eddie doesn’t care. He could take or leave the tinsel and be just fine. But he loves this banter thing they have been doing more of lately. It leaves him feeling soft inside. Not that he would ever admit it out loud. To anyone. Ever.

Buck takes three steps towards him with a cocky half-smile. “What are you going to do about it, Edmundo?” Christopher starts to giggle. 

“First my tinsel is tacky, and now my son - my own flesh and blood - is laughing at me.” Eddie cries dramatically.

“I’m laughing at you and Buck. You’re silly!” Christopher is still giggling. Eddie can’t help the dopey smile he knows is on his face. He looks over at Buck who is wearing a matching expression. Eddie wishes that he could have this permanently. Buck here, making his son laugh. Being a family. Eddie hopes they are moving in that direction. It feels like they are. 

“So is that two against one for no for tinsel then?” Eddie asks. 

“I certainly vote no. It’s up to you little man.” 

Chris thinks for a moment and looks back and forth between Buck and Eddie. “I want to put the ornaments on. I don’t want to wait.”

“Yes! Great choice Chris!” Buck punches the air in victory, then dashes to Chris scoops him up and plants a big kiss on his cheek. Buck puts him down and the two start decorating the tree. Eddie feels a warmth spread in the pit of his stomach as he watches them interact with each other. Eddie waits while they put the first few ornaments up before he moves to join in on the fun. 

——

Two days later Eddie strolls into work two hours early carrying a box. Walking up to Buck’s locker he pulls out the red and green tinsel that had been left off his Christmas tree and sets to work. 

He neatly outlines the outside of the locker in it. Then he zig-zags some down it in the shape of a Christmas tree. He opens the locker to decorate the inside as well. He droops tinsel across the top and then hangs a couple of cheap plastic ball ornaments from it. 

He looks to the inside of the door and smiles at the pictures hanging there. The one in the middle is of the three of them. He skims a finger over it, remembering the moment. In a fit of whimsy, Eddie uses a scrap piece of tinsel to create a heart around the photo. Eddie snaps a few pictures to show Christopher and closes the locker door. He shoves the near-empty box into his own locker and changes, before hustling upstairs to wait.

When Buck finally comes in for their shift, Eddie watches as he walks into the locker room, talking animatedly with Chimney. Eddie leans against the loft railing and listens, a cup of coffee in each hand. A few moments later Buck’s laughter echoes through the station. Eddie smiles and takes a sip of his coffee. 

Buck comes walking out of the locker room changed into his uniform and wearing a wide smile. He finds Eddie immediately and stops to look up at him. “Very funny Edmundo.”

“Well, you did ask what I was going to do about it. Did you like your Christmas surprise?” Eddie retorts wolfishly. 

“It’s beautiful really, thank. you. so. much.” Sarcasm drips of each word. 

“Anytime Buck. Just trying to spread the cheer. And find a use for my poor neglected tinsel.” Buck says nothing, just smiles and climbs the stairs. Eddie meets him at the top of the staircase and presses a coffee into his hands. 

“Thanks, man.” Buck takes a sip and sighs happily. 

“What none for me?” 

Eddie does a double-take. When did Chimney join them in the loft? “Sorry, Chim. There’s more in the kitchen though.” 

“Uh-huh. I see how it is.” Chimney smirks at both of them before walking into the kitchen. Eddie blinks and watches him walk away.

“So anyway,” Buck starts, and Eddie looks back over to him. “How was your day off? Did you and Chris make it to your abuela’s?” Eddie fills Buck in on the excitement that was lunch with Isabella Diaz as they walk towards the kitchen to get some breakfast before their shift starts. 

——

Later that day as they get back from a messy call, Eddie follows Buck into the locker room to change. The tinsel has been removed from the outside of his locker. Eddie opens his own, and a red and green tangled mess falls out at his feet and four sparkly gold balls roll across the locker room floor. 

“Don’t worry, I kept some of it,” Buck says swinging his locker open wide. Eddie peeks in and smiles warmly. The heart-shaped frame he had made around the picture of them and Chris is still there.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Kudos and comments are always welcome and appreciated!


End file.
